


Red Reaper

by Werewolf714



Series: Trust, Love, Betrayal. AU. [4]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Animal Death, Blood and Violence, Bloodlust, Brutal Murder, Character Death, Death, Dismemberment, Grimdark, Implied Violent Sexual Content, Insanity, Killing Spree, Loss of Control, Loss of Limbs, Loss of Morality, Minor Character Death, Multi, Murder, Original Character Death(s), Rapid decent into madness, Red Reaper of Vale, Rosewick - Freeform, evil path
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-14 11:10:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19272073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Werewolf714/pseuds/Werewolf714
Summary: (Dark continuation of Trust Love Betrayal) Taking up Cinder's task, Ruby's morality drops in a terrifying downward spiral. Soon deciding Ruby doesn't like being under Cinder's rule, she starts trying to think of ways to take the White Fang, and all of Vale, for herself. (Mild Rosewick, major violence)





	1. Evil

**Author's Note:**

> Stop! This story is a continuation of Trust Love Betrayal. If you have not read the aforementioned fic, you need to before reading this or nothing will make any sense whatsoever.
> 
> Warning: Blood and gore.

"If you are on our side then how about this - you take a job from me. If you do it, I'll consider you a loyal friend." Cinder said simply.

"What kind of job?" Ruby asked.

"I need you to kill someone." Cinder said with a wicked smile.

Ruby shifted her weight and glanced at her hands, knowing they had already taken one life. What difference did it make now?

"Alright. I'll do it." Ruby agreed.

Roman cast her a worried glance but did not stop her.

"Good." Cinder snapped her fingers and Emerald brought over a folder with all the information on the hit.

"I expect the job done by midnight. We will be waiting. Kill him however you see fit." Cinder purred.

Ruby took the folder, looked at the photo of the target and read his possible locations.

That done, she handed it back and left without a word. Roman stayed behind, afraid of what this might mean and decided to wait with the others.

\-----------------------------------------------------

Ruby walked down the quiet streets, turning down one and changing direction now and then. Finally she came to the location the file had mentioned and she walked in.

It was a simple little place, a single bedroom house. She had entered without knocking and looked around. Her target stepped in from one of the other rooms. "Can I help you?"

She smiled. "Yes... I'm lost and looking for someone."

She approached and acted like she was digging through her pockets. In reality she was readying Crescent Rose behind her back.

"Oh? Who?" He asked, warily. "Most people knock."

"Well the house looks just like this one so I thought I was in the right place." Ruby said, giving him a puppy look.

"Oh, I see, well who is your friend?" He asked, dropping his guard.

"Cinder." Ruby smiled darkly.

The man nearly fell over himself in panic as he backpedaled, Ruby stayed on his heels and then sliced through him.

She had a hard time believing people were so easy to kill... Grimm were far more challenging but, perhaps stronger people like the students at Beacon would be better.

\-------------------------------------------------------

She returned to the others with a couple hours to spare. She was covered in a spray of blood which Roman found more than unsettling.

"It's done." Ruby said tonelessly.

Cinder smiled. "Good... For once Roman didn't fail me."

"Welcome aboard." Mercury said, patting her back.

Ruby spent the next hour getting to know Emerald and Mercury better, Roman stayed off to the side, pretending to plot things out on a map.

Then suddenly the doors to the warehouse opened and two police officers stepped in.

Everyone froze, villain and cop alike.

Ruby was the first to move, looking over at the others and grinning.

Cinder nodded and Ruby seemed to vanish in a cloud of rose petals.

The cops advanced and spotted the group of wanted criminals.

"Freeze, you are all under arrest!" One said, both aiming their guns on the group, who, following Cinder's lead, raised their hands.

"Hyyyaaayh!" Ruby cried charging in from behind.

Both cops looked behind them.

"It's a huntress!" one said.

"It's the dead Beacon girl!" The other realized.

Ruby seemed about to charge between them but she stopped short, laughing wickedly as she swung her scythe, from her right angled down she slashed the first cop in half, shoulder to hip. As her blade neared the floor and was now in her center she angled it up, continuing its momentum to slice through the second cop, hip to shoulder.

Both cops fell almost as one, in two pieces and Ruby laughed madly.

"Fear me, the Reaper of Veil!" Ruby laughed, holding Crescent Rose high.

"What have I done..." Roman said under his breath.

The power high from killing had allowed Ruby to embrace her darker side. Now, there was no going back for her.

Ruby started giggling and ran outside, as she had suspected there was a cop car, parked right next to Roman's, Ruby figured that is why they had stopped.

She went over to the driver door and pulled it open, finding the radio inside she picked up the receiver and turned it on.

"Can anyone hear me?" She pleaded in a distressed voice though she was grinning.

Roman, Cinder and the others had followed her and watched in curiosity.

"We can, who is this?" The dispatcher asked.

"OH! It's horrible! There is a killer on the loose, she murdered these cops and is threatening to hurt others! She's got a scythe!" Ruby said, acting the part of a frightened civilian. She was also altering the pitch of her voice a lot to make it sound like she was someone else.

"We will send a detachment right away!" The dispatcher promised.

"She cut those first two down like nothing! Send everyone you have!" Ruby said in the panicked voice. She then screamed and dropped the receiver, leaving the Dispatcher asking if she was okay.

Ruby stepped back from the car grinning.

"What are you thinking?" Mercury demanded.

"You are going to get us caught, or killed!" Emerald said.

Ruby only grinned. "Go find a place to watch... Roman, move your car."

They did as she asked, Cinder locking the warehouse up after the bodies of the police had been removed.

Ruby was alone when at least twelve cop cars rolled up.

Ruby was standing on the point of the roof of the warehouse.

They looked around, seeing the bodies and beginning to think she had fled when suddenly a mad laughter cut through the air. All eyes turned to the roof and guns where aimed.

Not a shot was fired before she had already moved, seeming to have vanished in a cloud of rose petals.

Then she was on the ground, slicing and shooting, devastating the force in under ten minutes. There was blood everywhere, splattered on the ground, cars and buildings. Not a single body had been left in one piece. She had started dismembering before it was over, scattering limbs over the pavement.

Ruby stood in the middle, coated in blood and laughing wildly.

"She's insane..." Cinder said, watching quietly.

"That she is..." Roman agreed.

Ruby stopped laughing and walked away from the carnage.

They all cleared out before more police could arrive, though Roman was pretty sure Ruby had just wiped out their entire immediate response team.


	2. Depths of Madness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With this much blood on her hands... is she even the same person she once was? To look inside herself and embrace the deepest depths of darkness that reside in the human soul, truly, she has become a nightmare.

The next couple of days at the apartment where uneventful for the most part, Ruby almost seemed normal.

Roman decided he would go out for a bit and returned to find that Ruby had taken over the living room, her beloved scythe in pieces as she cleaned and recolored it.

She was making it solid black.

He glanced in the bag he was carrying and decided he'd made the right choice.

"I got you something." Roman said, setting the bag down.

"Oh?" Ruby asked, looking up from her work. Her hands were covered in paint, bluing and oil so she couldn't open it herself.

He reached into the bag and pulled out a brand new cloak, holding it up for her to see.

It was black satin with red velvet lining.

"Ooo... That is so beautiful." She said happily.

"That's not all." He grinned, reaching in the bag again and producing the cloak pins. They where little silver skulls.

Ruby squealed. "I love it!"

Roman set them aside. "It's no trouble... What exactly are you up to?"

She looked back at the mess of weapon in front of her. "I'm cleaning Crescent Rose... I'm recoloring it, too, less recognizable that way... I think I will rename it."

"Got any names?" Roman asked.

Ruby nodded. "Soul Rose."

"Hmm... I like it." Roman said, sitting on the couch behind her and watching her work.

Later that evening Ruby finished her work and set Soul Rose aside.

She went to clean up and looking in the mirror she realized her hair had grown out a bit. Looking at it she decided it was a nice change and she would let it grow out more.

Once she was done she went to look at her new cloak, it was of the highest quality make available.

Tossing her old one aside she put on the new one, admired it in a mirror and decided it suited her. She found Roman in the kitchen cooking and she walked over to him, tracing the line of his jaw with her finger. "Are you still afraid of me?"

He tensed and she giggled. "Good."

She then grabbed him and pressed him against the wall. "I think I like it like that."

Roman swallowed hard, looking into her eyes he could tell that she had completely let go, she was stark raving mad.

She then leaned closer and kissed him, after a moment he kissed back. As mad as she was, he still loved her.

When she pulled away from the kiss Roman found himself wishing it hadn't stopped.

Ruby then pressed her whole body against him and put her lips to his ear.

"There is something else I need you to get for me." She said, nearly seductive.

"Anything." He said, fully under her spell.

"I want red contacts, infused with dust so that they glow and let me see in the dark." She purred.

"I'll get them first thing tomorrow." He promised.

"Good." She smiled and pulled away, letting him go.

"I also need some makeup that will make my skin paper white and a dark red hair dye, so dark it looks black." She added.

"Of course." He nodded, avoiding her eyes.

"Wonderful!" She said in a bright cheerful way that seemed out of place in the new Ruby.

\--------------------------------------------------

By the next day Ruby had everything she had requested, her hair dyed and her eyes glowing Red.

It was late that night she decided to go out for a bit. Roman was asleep so she just slipped out, taking a walk in the dark night, the shattered moon not really providing any light. She got the chance to try out her new night vision powers, it was neat, everything was as clear as if it was day except that it was all in shades of red.

She wandered for a while before glimpsing someone else in the shadows. They hadn't noticed her yet so she moved closer. It was Penny. Ruby realized she was standing in the shadows so she stepped out into the faint light.

Penny saw her and turned to face her, looking at her curiously.

"Ruby?" She said after a moment, sounding confused.

Ruby took Soul Rose out, wanting to give its new paint job a spin.

"I wonder, Penny-bot. Do you work in two pieces?" Ruby said with a wicked grin.

"What? Wait... Ruby... Aren't you dead?" Penny asked.

Ruby's evil smile spread wider as she advanced. "Yes... Your friend Ruby is dead. I killed her."

Penny froze, trying to understand what exactly she was talking about, but she knew this woman was dangerous. She looked just like Ruby except the red eyes, pale skin that glowed in the faint light and longer hair.

"I am The Red Reaper!" Evil Ruby said with enthusiasm as she raised her scythe high.

Penny realized her doom too late as the scythe came crashing down. Soul Rose's sharp blade screeched in protest at being forced through metal. It cut her cleanly in half though, Penny shut down.

Ruby looked at Penny, now in two halves split down the middle. "Nope, you don't work in two pieces."

Giggling Ruby started away, only then noticing her blade was now cracked. It annoyed her but she left it that way, thinking it would be more painful for whoever it broke on. After that she would repair it.

Bored now, Ruby returned to the apartment for some sleep.

\--------------------------------------------------------------

It was early the next day when a pair of police officers on patrol found Penny. They wasted no time in contacting Ironwood and letting him know. Penny was transported back to the police station, Ironwood and Penny's father arrived soon after.

"Penny..." Her father said, frowning at the scene.

"What could have done this?" Ironwood asked.

"I have no idea, her body is made of the strongest alloy we could afford..." Her father replied, inspecting her head.

"Can she be repaired?" Ironwood asked.

"I think so... It will be difficult but I'm sure I can. Her memory banks and processing unit have not been damaged." The other man replied, he looked up at Ironwood. "Give me a week."

Ironwood nodded and left.

The week passed and more scythe related murders were turning up each day, all they could do was hope that Penny could remember her attacker.

Ironwood was there when power was restored to the girl, she booted up normally. She then paused, remembered what happened and suddenly started screaming and threw up her hands in defense.

"Talk about a delayed reaction..." Ironwood mumbled.

"It's alright Penny, you are safe." Her father said.

Penny looked around and relaxed. "Oh... Was that some sort of dream?... No..."

"Penny, can you tell us about what happened?" Her father asked.

Penny frowned, looking at herself and feeling her head, she could trace the fine solder line under her synthetic skin. She looked up at her father then, wanting to cry. "She looked like Ruby but not."

"What do you mean?" Ironwood asked.

"She... She looked like Ruby, her weapon looked like Crescent Rose but it was black... She had longer hair and it was all a reddish-black... She was abnormally pale and had glowing red eyes." Penny explained. "She called herself The Red Reaper and claimed to have killed Ruby."

The men looked at each other and nodded. Ironwood left and Penny's father hugged her.

"Please, you have to stay where we can keep up with you. You see what happens when you go out on your own?" Her father asked.

"Yes... I understand now... I'm not indestructible." She admitted.

\-----------------------------------------------

The passing week had only held fear for Roman. Ruby disappeared at night, always coming back covered in blood and giggling madly.

Sometimes though she would get angry for no apparent reason and start breaking things or threatening Roman himself. This night was no exception but he decided he was sick of the threats.

Ruby was angry, marching in and screaming. "I WILL KILL YOU!"

"WHY?!" He yelled back at her.

She tilted her head then grabbed a fist of his hair and threw him to the ground. He rolled and kicked, knocking her down.

She jumped and dove into him, knocked him down again, pinned him and started punching at him. He caught her hands and rolled, pinning her. They locked eyes for a moment and Ruby started giggling.

Roman kissed her and she bit him, he growled and lifted her by her shirt and slammed her into the floor.

She gasped and flinched then laughed harder, catching Roman's arm and flinging him off of her.

He got to his feet and backed into the wall.

Ruby was on her feet and in his face almost instantly, she grabbed a fistful of his hair and pulled his head to the side then licked his neck.

He pulled her closer, wiggling his head free of her grip and grabbing her hair, biting her neck just hard enough to hurt. She groaned and then pulled him into the bedroom.

\------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning Ruby woke early, she smiled at the naked man sleeping beside her then got up. She noticed it was still dark out and a heavy fog was rolling in. She giggled, donned only her cloak, grabbed her scythe and headed out.

While wandering the streets she saw a familiar figure walking down the street. Cardin Winchester.

Ruby was behind him in an instant, letting her cloak fall back to reveal her naked form.

"Remember when you wanted me?" She asked.

He nearly jumped out of his skin which made her laugh more.

He turned, staring at her in disbelief.

"The answer is still no." She said, suddenly serious.

He didn't have time to react as her scythe appeared in her hands. He didn't even manage a scream before she started slicing him up.

She walked away giggling, wearing only a cloak and warm blood.

She wandered around in the dense fog and found her bright-red self standing on the bridge leading to Beacon. She grinned and charged suddenly. It was early enough a few students would be out. They didn't live long.

She was covered in more blood and ran about, screaming at the top of her lungs and chopping down light poles. She killed anyone who stood in her path and showed no signs of slowing down.

Suddenly Nora stood in front of her. They were next to the fountain.

"R-Ruby...?" Nora asked, not even sure what was standing in front of her, just that it was dangerous.

Nora had her hammer in hand and that was likely the only thing that saved her.

Ruby charged and a fight ensued, their weapons locked and the girls looked each other in the eyes. Ruby saw fear and Nora saw madness.

They separated and charged again, Nora ducked under the scythe and swung up. Ruby twisted and let the hammer fling her into the air and out of sight.

The rest of Nora's team came running over, weapons in hand.

They heard a chilling scream that seemed to come from everywhere.

Ruby came from the side Nora was facing, she spun her scythe to aim the barrel behind her and fired, letting its end go flying into Nora's leg.

Nora cried out and fell back. Ruby dashed past, dodged the bullets from Ren and Pyrrha, retrieved her scythe and vanished again.

Professors Ozpin and Goodwitch joined them.

They formed a protective circle around Nora.

The scream came again and Ruby fired from the fog, destroying the top of the fountain and showering them in debris. Professor Goodwitch caught it and used it to add a ring of missiles around them.

Ruby came rushing in, too fast for the eye to follow, swinging at Jaune. He blocked but the force of the blow sent him flying to crash into Professor Goodwitch, breaking her concentration.

Ruby was gone again.

Her chilling shriek heralded another student's scream in the fog as they fell dead.

Ruby appeared again, coated in fresh blood. She landed in the fountain, setting her scythe under her and shooting to send herself into the air, several shots more and she was out of sight.

The five stood nervous, waiting for more screams but none came. Cautiously they took Nora inside and searched for other students.

Ruby returned to the apartment, she had been careful not to track blood and leave a path.

She came in to find Roman still sleeping so she took a bath.

He was up when she got out.

They had a nearly normal conversation and for the day she seemed almost normal herself.

\-----------------------------------------------------

Ozpin paced in his office, Glynda, Ironwood and Penny standing in the room.

"Ruby Rose is dead... This... Thing looks like her though." Ozpin was saying.

"It's not her." Penny said.

"What is it then?" Ironwood asked.

"Danger." Glynda said flatly. "It fights like Ruby if she had no concern for her own life.."

"It's not her... She's dead." Ozpin said, somewhere between denial and finding an answer.

"Maybe some sort of... experiment?" Ironwood asked.

"Like what?" Ozpin asked, stopping to look the man in the eye.

"I don't know but the reports say there was no body, just a lot of blood and some Grimm. What if our enemies have found a way to use dust to raise the dead?" Ironwood asked.

"That is insane." Ozpin said, resuming his pacing.

"I know it sounds that way but so is the thing we are facing. Has it ever been tried before? I don't think so and with all the dust that has been stolen... " Ironwood mused.

"What if it's some new breed of Grimm?" Penny asked.

"New breed... Or evolved maybe?" Glynda added.

"Something that can posses a dead body or make itself look like a human?" Penny offered. "It's eyes did glow red."

"Good point..." Ozpin admitted.

"Dust can make a human's eyes glow as well." Ironwood pointed out.

"Whatever the hell it is we need to put out a warning." Ozpin said, concerned for the population.

"Whatever it is it needs to be killed." Ironwood said firmly.

"Obviously." Glynda said dryly.

\-------------------------------------------------------

Back in Ruby and Yang's home town, where the remaining members of the team had stayed, they received notice from Beacon to be on the look out for Grimm that could pose as humans and even looked like ones they knew. They also warned that these Grimm were extremely dangerous and that they fight like an insane version of the person they have taken the appearance of.

Yang looked at the notice and set it aside, returning to the wilderness to kill more Grimm. That was all she had done since the funeral.

A few more days passed, Ruby killing more. She killed fewer than she had before, though.

She sat in the kitchen as Roman sat on the counter, drinking a scotch and enjoying a cigar.

"Bored now..." Ruby singsonged quietly.

"Should we do something about it?" Roman asked, blowing a smoke ring and grinning seductively.

"Not like that." She said, getting on the counter of the island and laying across it to look at Roman upside down.

"I mean, killing, I'm bored with killing... Even the student's at Beacon didn't put up a good fight." Ruby complained.

"Perhaps you should try getting closer to Cinder, she has big plans brewing, I just don't know what yet." Roman offered.

"Hmm... I'll think about it." Ruby decided.

In the end Ruby decided to start working and the string of killings in Vale slowed down.

Cinder annoyed Ruby but she kept that fact under wraps, doing as she asked and working her way closer to figuring out Cinder's plans.


	3. Death Trail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Investigations begin, plans are spun, a wide swath of death begins.

Ruby stayed at Cinder's side most of the time, getting close to her.

She was there as Cinder had the White Fang move the cargo to their new base in the southeast, Ruby was impressed by the abandoned city with another beneath, the subway tunnels opened up to allow them to get the train in and move the supplies unseen.

It was around this time that Ozpin sent Qrow in search of the Ruby-looking monster. She was alone in one of the warehouses they had been using when he caught up to her.

"What are you? Why do you look like my niece?" Qrow demanded.

"Who am I? I am the darkness that lives in every human soul. The madness of every human mind. I am the things your nightmares fear. I am the Red Reaper." She smiled to him darkly, shifting Soul Rose to its scythe form. Qrow readied his own scythe, if she was what Ozpin said he feared he had far less of a chance then Ozpin thought. He had trained Ruby to surpass him.

She giggled and then seemingly disappeared, using her semblace to dart behind him.

Qrow barely turned and got his scythe up to block as the strike came in, seeing the angle of it he realized she was toying with him.

She vanished again and this time the air was filled with mad giggling and rose petals. He could hear her zoom past him and he struck in places he guessed she'd be, he connected with her weapon a couple of times which only caused her laughter to intensify.

"What are you? Why are you doing this?" Qrow yelled, hoping to at least distract her.

Suddenly she was silent, that was almost eerier than her giggling. A gunshot rang out, echoing in the large metal building, Qrow found himself in agony, laying in the floor staring at the ceiling and his leg feeling like it was on fire.

Ruby stepped over him, kicking his scythe away.

"Bored now." She singsonged absently.

"Answer me." Qrow growled as he tried to wiggle away, to reach his weapon. His leg refused to cooperate.

"Oh, dear dear Uncle Qrow." Ruby sighed, facing the wall she spun her scythe and stabbed him through the middle, pinning him to the ground. The wound was fatal but it would take a few minutes before he died.

"I do these things…." She started, turning round and kneeling beside him. "Because this is what I am. After the way I was betrayed, after only showing love before, I was awakened. THIS is my true nature, Uncle. I was born to kill." Ruby explained, grinning madly. She took her hands and covered them in the blood from his wound, causing him pain as she squished at him.

"I didn't die, that was a lie." She giggled and stood, turning to paint on the wall in his blood.

"Ruby…" He gasped, blood spilling from his mouth as his vision blurred.

"Never again." She giggled. "Never again will I trust anyone."

Just before he died she stepped away from the the wall and he was able to read it.

_All those you send shall die. Leave me be and they live… RR_

"Good night, Uncle." Ruby said darkly as she left the warehouse giggling.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------

Ozpin stared into his coffee, hoping today would bring better news but something pulled at the edges of his mind, a very bad feeling. Glynda walked in carrying a report, he didn't even try being hopeful when he saw her expression, grim and worried.

She dropped the folder on his desk and it fell open, the photos from the crime scene and a description of what the police had found. Ozpin sighed, holding his face in his hands as he realized he had only managed to send his friend to his doom.

"What are we going to do?" Glynda asked.

Ozpin only shook his head as he reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. Pouring a shot into his coffee he offered the bottle to Glynda, who glared at him so he put it away.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

Ruby returned to the apartment later that day to find Roman there with another girl.

Ruby glared as she marched in, weapon in hand.

"Who is this?" She demanded. Roman nearly jumped out of his skin and the girl, her hair half brown and half pink with white highlights, smiled at Ruby.

"This is my cousin, she is going to be helping us, I know what you have in mind for Cinder so…" Roman was trying to explain but he fell silent as Soul Rose's blade came dangerously close to his face.

"I never said I wanted or needed help, how **dare** you bring in someone else." Ruby growled.

"Aww, you don't like me?" His cousin asked as she stood and walked over. Ruby looked over at her, watching as she blinked her brown eyes and as she reopened them one was pink. Ruby tilted her head, intrigued.

"Neo, what are you doing?" Roman asked, not sure about the situation as a whole.

Neo leaned in and kissed Ruby, running her hands seductively over Ruby's body. Ruby lowered the weapon away from Roman, a bit surprised but not pushing Neo away.

"Damn it all Neo! Quit trying to steal my woman!" Roman growled. The two backed away from each other at the same time, both giggling.

"Answer me one question?" Ruby asked, grinning.

"What's that?" Neo asked, tilting her head.

"Do you enjoy killing?" Ruby asked.

"More than anything." Neo grinned, her eyes lighting up at the mention.

"Good, do me a favor then?" Ruby purred.

Neo tilted her head, giving Ruby a quizzical look. "Hmm?"

"Kill Cinder's little street rat, Emerald. She is far too loyal to Cinder and will get in the way when I take over." Ruby explained

"My pleasure." Neo smiled. "Can I make her suffer?"

"Massively." Ruby returned the insane smile.

"So we are going through with this, then?" Roman asked.

"Yes… We will soon be the ones in charge of this, not Cinder." Ruby chuckled darkly.

"How soon?" Neo asked, giving a very convincing innocent pose and smile.

"As soon as you find an opportunity, just don't get caught. I want the take over to be quick and smooth but we must get as many of her people on our side before I kill her. We can't have them turning on us." Ruby explained.

"Don't worry, once I'm done with her I'll start planting doubts about Cinder in the minds of the White Fang." Neo offered, her smile turning seductive.

"Perfect." Ruby nodded.

\----------------------------------------------------------

Neo bided her time, waiting for the best opportunity to strike. It was several days later when she found that chance. Emerald was leaving the Beacon grounds alone late one evening, for what reason Neo didn't know, she also didn't care. Emerald was still wearing her school uniform and was unarmed, she appeared to be up to something.

Neo aimed carefully, waiting for Emerald to be in just the right place…

She fired, the shot tearing through the air and striking Emerald in the side, sending her tumbling off the bridge and into the lake. Neo sprung from her cover, rushing under the bridge and getting hold of the flailing girl and pulling her to land. Before Emerald could process what was going on Neo kicked her, sending her back to the muddy bank. Neo then turned her umbrella over in her hands and drew it's blade.

"What…" Emerald groaned, rubbing her face and trying to get her bearings as she coughed water. Neo stomped her foot down in the middle of Emerald's chest, pinning her in the mud.

Emerald choked and flinched in pain. Neo held her blade high then stabbed into Emerald's shoulder, twisting the blade around before removing it, severing nerves.

Emerald cried out then looked up at her assailant, before she could try to strike back Neo's blade descended again, tearing into the elbow of the opposite arm. Emerald's pained cries carried out over the water as Neo stabbed and jabbed relentlessly at Emerald's joints, kicking or stomping on her anywhere it would cause pain.

"How does it feel? Knowing you are just one of Cinders pawns? That she will not even miss you, let alone shed a single tear over your death? How does it feel knowing your life amounts to nothing?" Neo asked darkly as she sliced Emerald's skin open in several places.

"You… lie…" Emerald choked, refusing to believe she wouldn't be missed.

"You truly are a fool." Neo shrugged, letting Emeralds doubts sink in with the pain.

"Cinder…. cares…" Emerald coughed, though she seemed less sure this time. Neo turned, stomping a foot on the prone girl's stomach then holding her blade high.

"Funny, if she cared so much, where is she? Why isn't she here to save you?" Neo asked.

Emerald glared at her, eyes filled with pain. Neo laughed wickedly, loving that expression then plummeted her blade down again, stabbing Emerald in the lung, she raised her blade quickly and did the same to the other lung. Emerald cried out in agony as she gasped for air.

Neo took the girl by the collar of her shirt and pitched her into the water. With her joints and nerves destroyed Emerald was helpless as she sunk into the dark cold lake, she drowned slowly, her lungs hurting all the more thanks to the wounds she'd been given.

Neo laughed evilly watching the bubbles and wafts of blood that arose from the dark shadow sinking into the lake.

After a quick glance around to be sure there was nothing that would give her away, the mud was far too soft to provide reliable tracks and she had left nothing behind, Neo took off into the night.

\-----------------------------------------------------

It was a couple days later, the weekend having rolled in allowing Cinder the chance to return to base, that she was informed Emerald had never arrived days before.

"Where has she gone? That was a very important task I trusted her with…" Cinder grumbled in irritation.

"It's unusual for her to just vanish, she's not answering her scroll either." Mercury said, letting his concern show a bit. Ruby listened in but pretended to ignore them and continue talking to Roman.

"I think you should see this ma'am." One of the White Fang said, handing a scroll to Cinder. It had the local Vale news downloaded to it and Cinder hit play on the video.

_"In other news, the girl discovered this morning in the lake was identified as Emerald Sustrai. She was a visiting student from Mistral for the Vytal festival. She was brutally murdered though there is no sign of sexual assault, she drowned in the lake after sustaining multiple stab wounds. While exact time of death has been difficult to determine the authorities place it at some time during the night on Thursday. The authorities are working tirelessly on the case and have requested that if anyone has seen or heard anything around that time that they please contact the Vale police department with details."_

"Damn it all…" Cinder growled, handing the scroll back.

"No…. She can't…" Mercury said, sinking to the ground.

"Oh, how terrible…" Ruby said, walking over to join Cinder.

"I'll make whoever did this pay…" Mercury growled.

"This will never do, shall Roman and I see about 'recovering' her body and getting it to Doctor Arvan? See if he can help us find any answers?" Ruby asked.

"Then we can kill whoever is responsible!" Mercury stated, standing.

"Yes… you three handle this." Cinder said, no longer caring about the matter.

"We will let you know as soon as anything is found, until then I think you should stay here and keep an eye on things." Ruby said calmly, resting a hand on Mercury's shoulder. He nodded, seeming a bit at a loss, having just learned his life long friend was now dead.

As Ruby and Roman headed out they both noticed Neo talking with members of the White Fang.

\----------------------------------------------

"You're certain?" Ozpin asked.

"Absolutely. We didn't have any student by the name 'Emerald Sustrai.'" The headmaster of Mistral's school confirmed.

"What about a Mercury Black or a Cinder Fall?" Ozpin asked, leaning forward. The headmaster on the screen turned, punching things in on another panel then turned back shaking their head. "Not them either, looks like you have imposters."

"Seems so, thank you for helping to clear that up.' Ozpin said then ended the video call.

Ozpin frowned, interlacing his fingers and leaning back in his chair, thinking the situation over.

\--------------------------------------------------

Neo wandered into the train car where Mercury was rearranging boxes of cargo, seemingly trying to keep his mind occupied.

"I'm sorry about your loss." Neo said calmly, causing him to jump and turn to face her.

"Who are you?" He asked, quickly painting the tough guy attitude onto his face.

"The name is Neopolitan, but you can call me Neo. I'm Roman's cousin" Neo smiled.

"Oh… yeah, thanks I guess." Mercury shrugged. Neo could see the pain in his eyes and she loved it, however she kept those thoughts tightly to herself.

"You know, I saw how our dear employer reacted when she found out, to be quite honest I don't think she gives a damn about you or your late friend, rest her soul. Or any of the rest of us." Neo said, acting as though she was the one who cared.

Mercury turned away, moving another box. "Yeah… I'm starting to see that…"

Neo closed the remaining distance between them, leaning against him to whisper in his ear.

"Don't be a pawn when you can be so much more." She stated then left, leaving him to figure her meaning on his own.

\---------------------------------------------------------

Late that night Roman and Ruby split up at the morgue, Roman slipping off to hot wire mortician's transport car after picking the lock on the back door to let Ruby into the building.

The security was low and primitive, not many people broke into morgues. She silently slipped past the guard and into the first room near the door. She opened door after door, looking into the dark slots for the correct body, she finally found the one she needed and pulled the slab out.

She had to admit, Neo had done one hell of a job, it looked like Emerald had suffered horribly. Quickly and carelessly rolling Emerald's cold body onto one of the rolling tables she wheeled Emerald out past the loudly snoring guard and into the waiting vehicle.

Once Ruby was seated in the cab Roman threw the car into gear and headed for Arvan's hospital. They rolled the body in and stopped at the front desk. The woman looked at the body on the rolling table and the duo that had brought it in.

"Gift for the Waiting Darkness." Roman stated.

The woman only nodded and opened the drawer and called the doctor to inform him. she hung up the phone and informed the pair that he would be down in a moment.

"Well…. This is interesting." Arvan noted when he came off the elevator and saw the odd scene.

"Yes, I was actually needing to talk to you anyway." Ruby said, waving Roman off.

Roman took the note to leave, deciding to dispose of the stolen car.

"Oh?" The doctor asked as he walked over and looked down at the body.

"Yes, is there somewhere we can talk? Also something we can do with… my former colleague?" Ruby asked.

"Yes." Arvan said, grabbing the edge of the table and wheeling it down the hall as Ruby followed along side.

"What is your opinion on Cinder?" Ruby asked.

"She's an ageless beauty, she is also the biggest wench I've ever met." Arvan grumbled, not hiding his disdain for the woman.

Ruby grinned. "I see, so, how would you feel about helping me with something?"

"What is that?' Arvan asked as they turned down another hall.

"Well you see, Cinder is going to need a report on what happened to the late Emerald here, for appearances sake if nothing else, but the thing is, I already know who did this and I don't want Cinder to find out." Ruby explained.

"Falsifying records is easy enough, I'll do it. On one condition." Arvan said.

"Name it." Ruby nodded.

"I keep the body for experimentation." He stated.

"Deal…. Ooo, does that have anything to do with the basement?" Ruby asked, suddenly very curious.

"That is my business." He growled.

"Aww…. C'mon, have you got some sort of secret lab? What kind of things could you use a human body for if not medical?" Ruby pressed, seeming far too interested.

Arvan frowned, looking her in the eyes. What he saw there was something he saw in himself and he grinned, deciding that she just might appreciate his real work.

"Fine." He said, turning and rolling the table into a large elevator and pressing the down button.

\---------------------------------------------------------

When classes resumed at Beacon, Cinder and Mercury were called to Ozpin's office.

"Ohh…. do you think they've figured us out?" He asked.

"No, likely just calling us in to find out if we know anything about our teammate's demise. Just act natural and we should be fine, she left last schoolday night and we haven't' seen her since." Cinder explained.

"And if they've figured out the truth?" He pressed.

"I've gotten done what I needed to, it won't be a huge loss to have to run at this point. So be ready." She shrugged as they headed for the door.

Little happened on the way there, a few students offered condolences on the lost member of the team. Mercury actually missed Emerald, but after that conversation with Neo he found himself absorbed watching Cinder, suspicious of her motives now.

They reached Ozpin's office to find him waiting on them.

Cinder had her best sad act together at this point, even going so far as to cling to Mercury a bit. That annoyed him, she was incredibly fake and he found himself wishing he had worked harder to talk Emerald out of working with her, she might still be alive if he had… He was also beginning to feel like Cinder was treading awfully close to insulting Emerald's memory and that was something he really wanted no part of.

Still, at the moment he had to keep up his own act so he played the part of the supportive teammate.

"You have my condolences for your fallen teammate." Ozpin said as they stopped at his desk. Cinder nodded, pretending to be unable to speak through her shock. "It sickens me to think that a student would be killed while under my care, so I'm glad she was a fake like the two of you." Ozpin added, the way he put it, so calm yet so blunt made both the others jump.

"I know you aren't really from Mistral, they have never heard of any of you. You don't exist. So. Why are you here?" He finished, watching the two like a hawk.

"Well uh…" Cinder stammered, switching to a startled act.

"We wanted to enter the Vytals festival sir." Mercury said, acting the part of covering. He at least had guessed this was going to happen.

"Yes… We never could afford to actually attend any of these schools but the three of us have always dreamed of getting to participate in the competition…" Cinder said with innocence.

"Really…" Ozpin said drily, not believing her.

"It's the truth!" Cinder said, slapping her hands down on the desk and getting very close to Ozpin's face as she said it. Mercury watched the exchange, watched the dust infused contacts on Cinder's eyes glow as she attempted to use their effect on Ozpin.

"Won't work." Ozpin stated, almost under his breath and Cinder flinched, backing away. "I don't believe you, you see. I think the real reason you are here is to cause conflict between kingdoms by starting an international upset. I think your 'friend' was meant to die before you ever came to Beacon, whether she knew it or not." Ozpin stated, in no mood for arguments. "So, who are you working for?"

"No one! You're wrong!" Cinder snapped at him.

"Am I?" He asked her, arching a brow.

"Yes, you are!" She snapped again, Mercury could see a hint of fear in her eyes.

"Well then, in the case that I'm wrong I will give you twenty minutes to leave and never come back. Not another peep out of you. If you so much as walk behind a reporter while they are covering a case I will have Ironwood's men hunt you down and arrest you. Now. Get out." Ozpin glared. Cinder wasted no time in turning to leave. Mercury gave Ozpin a respectful nod, a way of silently saying 'well played.'

Ozpin arched a brow at that and watched them go. Once they left, Coco stepped out of her hiding place and over to Ozpin.

"You want us to tail them?" She asked, just for clarification.

"Yes, try to avoid conflict, bring as much intel back as you can. We need to know who they are working for and what they are planning." Ozpin confirmed.

"Consider it done." Coco nodded and trotted out of the room like she owned it.

\--------------------------------------------------

Team CVFY quickly took up surveillance of the fake Mistral students as they gathered their things and left the school. They kept in contact with each other by ear radio.

"Fox, we have a problem, I'm going back to take care of it can you keep up with them?" Coco asked.

"Yeah, the woman is wearing glass shoes so they are easy to follow." He whispered back.

It was easy enough keeping up with them at a enough distance that they wouldn't easily notice him. Fox followed them quite a while, he could smell dead fish and salt water as they neared the docks, he froze when her footsteps halted.

He waited for the two of them to speak but there was only the sound of the waves lapping at the stone retaining walls.

"Fox, what is your position? We are on our way back to you." Coco asked.

"The docks." He whispered back.

"We will be there soon hold tight." Coco noted.

"Blind, then?" Came Cinder's voice, she was standing right in front of him. Fox jumped, he hadn't expected her to find him, or at least to hear her if she moved again.

"Who are you working for?" He demanded, hoping to delay things long enough for his team to arrive. Ozpin had said no conflicts.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Cinder chuckled.

"How long did you know I was following you?" He asked, curious.

"Not until a few blocks from here, you're quite sneaky." Cinder admitted.

While she spoke Cinder prepared a chunk of glass infused with dust.

"So you led me away from where you had intended to go." He stated, easily figuring that.

"Yes." Cinder grinned then stabbed him with the glass.

Fox staggered back, clutching at the wound and trying to pull the glass free. Cinder snapped her fingers and the chunk of glass exploded, sending shards tearing through his body.

Cinder laughed wickedly as Fox choked on his own blood. She had thought him finished so she didn't bother with anything more. As she turned away from him though, he staggered forward slashed at Cinder, catching her on the shoulder and knocking her down.

Cinder rolled away and back to her feet, turning to face him.

"We got company." Mercury noted, spotting the rest of Fox's team running down the alley. Cinder chuckled and continued backing away then took off with Mercury around the corner. Fox managed to stay on his feet and stagger toward his team.

"Fox!" Coco cried when she saw him, picking up speed. She managed to reach Fox just as his legs failed him, she caught him and cradled him close.

"Glass…. And dust… Be careful.." He choked.

"Easy, just hold on Fox, we will get you help.' Coco assured.

"It's a trap…" He coughed again, flinching in pain.

"Just hold on!" Coco insisted, trying to figure out how to move him without causing more damage, they were far from all the hospitals…

"Stop them." Fox choked then fell limp in her arms.

"Fox, no, hang on." Coco said, pulling him tight, but, it was too late.

Her partner was gone.

Snarling Coco laid him down and retrieved her weapon.

"Come on, we have work to do." Coco said, pushing her sun glasses back up her nose. Yatsuhashi and Velvet followed close as Coco gave chase to Fox's murderers.

The sun had vanished from the sky by the time they caught up to them. At this point Coco no longer cared about gathering intel, she was going to avenge Fox, everyone and everything else be damned.

"You killed my partner." Coco growled at the seemingly cornered Cinder. "Prepare to die."

"We'll see who will be doing the dying." Cinder smirked. Before Coco could make any move towards Cinder though the air was suddenly filled with mad giggling and a creepy rendition of a childrens' song.

"Little bunny fufu, hopping through a forest…" The voice seemed to come from all directions. Suddenly a shadow appeared behind Velvet, both she and the shadow were enveloped in a cloud of rose petals.

"You know, I never really had a problem with you but now you managed to get in the way so, goodbye." Came a dark and twisted version of Ruby's voice. Velvet didn't even have time to scream as the sound of a gunshot filled the air and Coco turned just in time to see her rabbit teammate chopped in half.

"No!" Yatsuhashi cried, swinging his blade at the scythe-wielding fiend as Velvet fell to the ground but she was already gone again. Not seeing where she had gone he knelt by his partner, overwhelmed with sadness.

Coco spotted a shadow jump down from the roof of the building behind Yatsuhashi and land on his back, it was smaller than Ruby though. Before she could even cry out there was the glint of a slender blade that was quickly driven through his ears.

He fell dead next to his partner.

"Oh my, my point seems to have just gone in one ear and out the other…" Neo noted as she pulled her blade free.

"Stop with the puns, you sound like Yang…" Ruby said from the shadows then laughed. Coco screamed and started shooting the direction she'd heard the voice come from but Ruby was already gone. Furious, Coco turned her gun back towards Neo but she too was gone. Cinder laughed wickedly as she watched.

Suddenly someone was hugging Coco from behind, resting their head on her shoulder.

"If anyone is going to kill Cinder, it will be me. You shouldn't have come." Ruby whispered so that only Coco could hear.

Coco was distracted by that and trying to wiggle free, she didn't see Neo approach with that slender blade, Neo set the point at the top of Coco's shoulder and drove it down into her heart.

Ruby let the body slide down to the floor and Neo simply held her blade, giggling as the dead girl slid off of it.

"That was simply beautiful." Cinder noted then turned to leave, Mercury following her. Neo and Ruby traded glances and giggled. Once the giggling subsided Ruby walked over to the dead faunus and coated a hand in blood then walked over to the wall and wrote.

_I warned you. RR_

That done, she picked up Soul Rose, grabbed Coco by the shirt and dragged her away, Neo started giggling all over again.


	4. Usurped Throne

Ruby arrived at the back door of Avan's hospital and knocked three times and waited just as he had instructed. Emerald opened the door, staring blankly and stepping out of the way. Ruby dragged Coco's body in and let Emerald close the door. Dragging a body down the stairs to the basement was strangely relaxing, she thought.

Arvan had seen Ruby enter on the security camera and he met her in the trophy room, taxidermy stuffed humans standing on small wooden stands.

"Oh, what a lovely specimen that one is…" Arvan noted, looking over Coco's cold form.

"I have a very specific job for this one." Ruby informed him.

\-----------------------------------------------------

Morning broke over Beacon and team CVFY still hadn't checked in, leaving Ozpin with a very bad feeling. That bad feeling was validated when Glynda stepped into his office carrying yet another Police report.

Glynda handed him the report without a word and he opened the file.

There was a picture of Fox whose wounds were hard to discern in the photo.

Velvet lay in two pieces with Yatsuhashi laying beside her. Another small puddle of blood with Coco's weapon and drag marks leading away and written in blood on the wall of the ally.

_I warned you. RR._

Ozpin felt a chill reading that, he hadn't known those two were involved with the Red Reaper. If he had he wouldn't have sent his best team after them. He sighed and set the report down, thoroughly miserable from the amount of deaths lately, all starting with Ruby.

As Ozpin sat rubbing his temples a call came in and he had to answer.

"Sir, something is going on in the courtyard, I think you should check it out."

Ozpin groaned and stood, grabbing his coffee and heading down stairs to the courtyard, Glynda in tow. What greeted them when they pushed their way through the crowd of students was unnerving. Coco stood expectantly, blood staining her shirt heavily and her skin abnormally pale.

"You're alive." Ozpin said as he approached.

"Wrong." Came Coco's voice, cold and distant.

Everyone just stood, staring at the near motionless form. It was then Ozpin realized she wasn't breathing.

"Dead… all dead…" Coco stated, raising her hand as bloody tears slid down from behind her sunglasses. "Dead because of you!"

"No… What are you?" Ozpin demanded, stepping back.

Coco pulled the sunglasses off, revealing empty eye sockets that were dripping blood. "Dead."

She then hissed and lunged forward, grabbing at Ozpin who immediately backpedaled. Glynda was quick with her riding crop, smacking Coco upside the head then backing away, there was no nearby debris for her to use though.

Coco turned her attention on the older blond but as she lunged at her, the students nearby recovered from the initial shock and swarmed forward, all grabbing Coco by the arms and pulling her away from the professor.

Coco hissed and screamed, blood bubbling from her lips and with one more inhuman shriek she went limp. The students still kept a firm grip for several more minutes.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

Ruby laughed hard, loving the show, Neo beside her did the same and Arvan chuckled. The three were sitting in his office, Neo having hacked into the Beacon surveillance cameras.

"That worked better than I thought it would." Arvan smiled.

"I knew you could do it, that was amazing." Ruby grinned.

"That beautiful suffering." Neo said with near glee.

"Yes." Ruby smiled.

"Oh, Neo, seeing as how you were able to do this I have something else in mind I need your help with." Ruby said a moment later.

"Oh?" Neo asked.

"Yes, but let's go back to the apartment." Ruby nodded.

"Good day, ladies." Arvan smiled as they left.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

They returned to the apartment before lunch to find Roman making himself a sandwich.

Ruby slipped into the kitchen silently coming up behind him, placing her hands on his back and smiling as he froze and tensed. She then started rubbing his back and he relaxed.

"How did your plan play out?" He asked her.

"Well." She purred. "Now on to the next one which will shall all start after you fix two more of those delicious looking sandwiches."

Roman chuckled and nodded, reaching into the cabinet and retrieving more plates.

Once everyone had a sandwich and drink in hand they settled on the couch with laptops, Neo perched on the back of the couch and balanced her plate while instructing the other two how to hack into Glynda's computer. From there Roman opped he and Ruby as admins and logged out again. They then logged in again from their own accounts and Neo happily munched her food and watched the other two wreak havoc.

There was no one else online which was not surprising considering what had happened only an hour earlier. Ruby headed to where she remembered Ozpin and Glynda building Beacon and then teleported Roman there. They coated everything in tnt then set it off, all three watching roared with laughter as the blocky school went up.

The foundation of each building and basement under the place was made of obsidian though, so grinning, Ruby filled it with Lava. She then built a small obsidian tower far enough above the lava that wood wouldn't catch and left a sign that read 'soon'.

They moved on, Ruby finding Blake and Yang's base, she walked in and dumped a bucket of lava down the stairs. The bookshelves went up in flames and she giggled. She then found Ren's base and set the entire forest on fire.

Ruby found Weiss's failed Ice castle and loaded it with far more tnt then necessary, leaving a crater behind. She and Roman continued this with everything they could find, by the time they were done the only thing that remained standing was Roman's tower which they guessed no one had found yet.

Back at the spawn point Ruby left another sign, this one reading. 'Disaster crew, RR RT NT.'

The world thoroughly blown up, burned and saturated in lava they felt accomplished and logged off.

"What now?" Roman asked.

Ruby glanced over at the clock, it was late afternoon. she grinned, glancing over to Neo. "Is there a member of the White Fang that can be trusted to help me with a little hunting trip? They need to know how to get a little boat across to Patch unseen."

"I think I know just the person." Neo smiled.

By the time the faunus had agreed to help and readied his small fishing boat it was nearing dark and night had fallen by the time they reached Patch.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Yang sat alone, she was camping by a small brook, the sound of it, her camp fire and the crickets in the night made it all very peaceful, unlike her inner turmoil.

She felt full responsibility for her sister's death. She had hoped returning to Patch would help, to be near her dad. It did nothing to ease the guilt. She couldn't even bear to look Blake in the eyes anymore, she felt like it was her fault that the faunus lost her privilege to go to Beacon for two years. Weiss… She felt less bad about, Weiss was just as at fault as she.

All Yang could do to cope with the guilt was to strike out into the wilds, to fight grimm, she hoped to clear the population from Patch, something no one had ever managed in the past and if she died at least she had died doing something useful. In all honesty she wanted to die, felt she deserved it. But she wouldn't go down easily, she would die a hero.

Yang was lost in thought, laying on her back in the grass next to her little fire when she noticed the crickets had gone silent and that unnerved her a bit, sitting up and looking around she expected to see Grimm lurking in the shadows but the moon illuminated the same empty woods and nothing else.

"Hello Yang." Came a voice from behind her that chilled her to the bone.

Ruby's voice.

Yang sprung to her feet and spun to see her sister standing only feet away, barely illuminated by the fire. She was wearing a black cloak and her hair was longer and darker. Skin pale and when Ruby looked up at her Yang saw eyes that glowed a far more sinister red than her own.

"Miss me?" Ruby asked, grinning in a near psychotic way as she tilted her head.

"Ruby?" Yang asked, part of her knew it was Ruby yet what she saw just wasn't right.

"It's okay Yang, I'm here." Ruby said soothingly though she had the same unnerving expression.

"But… How…? You…." Yang said, half wanting to run to her and half sensing danger.

"I know, it's been so hard getting back to you Yang, haven't you missed me?" Ruby asked, changing to a pout.

"Of course I have but…" Yang said, still uneasy.

"But what?" Ruby asked, standing straight and taking on a serious expression.

"You died… and you.. don't look like you." Yang explained, shifting uneasily.

Ruby's grin widened and she began to giggle madly.

"Because I'm not." She explained then vanished in a cloud of rose petals.

Yang managed to keep track of her sister better than most, watching her darting around in the shadows of the moonlit woods.

"Join me, Yang, and I may forgive you." Ruby singsonged from the shadows, causing the sound of her voice to come at yang from all angles.

"What do you mean? What are you?" Yang asked, bordering on terrified.

"I'm the Red Reaper!" Ruby howled with delight.

"What the hell is that?" Yang snapped, still keeping an eye on the shadowy blur.

"Death." Ruby answered grimly, knowing Yang was keeping up with her.

Yang took a defensive stance, readying Ember Celica. "No! I don't know what the hell you are but you are not my sister!" Yang shouted, afraid and burying that with anger. She remembered the warning issued from Beacon about the new grimm that could take a similar form as those who had died. She hoped that was what she was facing.

"Oh Yang, that is the wrong choice." Ruby said, almost sounding disappointed. There was a loud gunshot and suddenly Ruby was air born.

Yang watched as the Ruby Grimm shifted her weapon to scythe form, it was so black it seemed to absorb light. She dogged Ruby's first attack, rolling away and bouncing back to throw a few punches, firing at the thing that looked like her sister.

Ruby deflected the shots and Yang seriously wondered how this thing managed to match Ruby's style so well.

"Oh Yang, are you sure this is what you want? Can you live with killing me twice if you win?" Ruby asked.

Yang hesitated, blocking and rolling under Ruby's next strike rather than attacking.

"Don't you remember when we were kids and we'd play huntresses and chase Zwei around the yard because he was the 'Grimm' we faced? Good times eh?" Ruby asked as she stalked in.

"No, how, how can you know that!?" Yang demanded, back pedaling. "You're not really Ruby!"

"Oh Yang, it's me, I promise." Ruby smiled. "Death changes you a bit."

"No!" Yang snapped, not wanting to believe it yet, some how she did and that terrified her more.

"You did this to me Yang." Ruby growled, gaining ground.

"NO!" Yang shouted as she tripped, falling on her back. Ruby wasted no time in standing on the fallen blond, holding her blade near Yang's throat.

"You see Yang, you had two choices, Join me willingly and keep your mind or join me unwillingly and lose your life." Ruby smiled darkly.

"Ruby, please.." Yang said, tears in her eyes.

Ruby smiled darkly and fired Soul Rose, the recoil sending it's blade cleanly though Yang's neck. She giggled all the way back to the boat where the Faunus driver was waiting, Ruby flung Yang's body into the boat but kept her head.

"I'll be back." She informed the unnerved Faunus then headed back into the woods, heading for the town of Patch this time.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

She slipped over the wall silently and crossed main street only when she had too, though the city was quiet this late at night. Soon she found her old house, the windows dark she knew everyone would be sleeping.

She also knew the back door would be unlocked. Ruby casually came in through the back gate and let herself in through the back door, just like when she lived there.

The house was quiet and just the way she remembered it, she could have easily found her way around without the night vision contacts. She crept up the stairs, skipping the steps that creaked and then walked down the hall, curious as to her what the state of her old room was.

Inside she found Blake and Weiss asleep together on her bed. Grinning Ruby drew back the arm holding Yangs head and pitched it at the sleeping girls. Yang's head hit them with a wet thud that woke them both and had them wiggling away from it as Weiss reached for the lamp.

The light of the lamp flooded the room and both girls screamed in terror when they saw Yang's detached head laying between them.

Ruby giggled at them, drawing their gazes and earning more terrified screaming.

"What is going on?" Taiyang demanded as he stumbled into the hall behind Ruby.

She turned, raising her weapon, which was back in it's more compact form and shot her father though the heart without a second thought. Zwei, who had been standing next to his master, yelped and staggered back, the loud gunshot in the inclosed space hurting his ears and leaving him stunned.

Ruby turned back to the two in her room, turning her weapon back to it's scythe form.

"Miss me?" Ruby asked darkly, smiling.

Blake broke free of her fear first, scooping up her weapon and firing several shots at Ruby. She deflected them with her weapon, causing one shot to ricochet into the lamp and return the room to darkness, she giggled madly.

"I guess not." Ruby said, suddenly very serious.

Weiss retrieved her own weapon though she still looked thoroughly terrified as she could only see a shadow with glowing red eyes that had Ruby's voice. Blake on the other hand could see more clearly.

Ruby rushed in, swinging as she did and Blake narrowly dodged back, Ruby followed by another spinning attack which Blake had to deflect, the weight of the blow made her arm go numb though and she dropped her Gambol Shroud to the floor.

Ruby laughed wickedly as her next attack cut right through her former teammate.

"Blake?!" Weiss cried, more terrified now, not sure how badly Blake was hurt. When Blake didn't answer she backed into the far corner, trying to figure if she could bolt to the door in the dark or not.

Zwei growled and launched into the room, hitting Ruby in the back and sending her to the floor.

"Zwei! Bad dog, go lay down!" Ruby snapped, her voice seeming very normal with a small amount of irritation. Zwei was unable to ignore the command from the voice he knew too well, he obeyed.

Ruby got back up and turned her attention to the terrified heiress in the corner.

"You did this to me you know." Ruby said darkly, closing her eyes to creep up on her.

Without the glow from her contaçts she was fully hidden from Weiss, with the curtains drawn and no light there was no way to see the dark cloak and the dark scythe blade was dark, offering not even the faintest glint of light. Ruby knew her own room well and easily crept around, making it impossible for Weiss to know where she was.

"I'm sorry… Ruby please, forgive me…" Weiss pleaded.

Ruby stood to her full height and placed her scythe near but not touching Weiss's midsection. She finally released her breath and Weiss squeaked and backed into the blade, freezing.

"I will never forgive you." Ruby said grimly then fired Soul Rose, cutting Weiss in half. Ruby then turned her attention back to Zwei, who had covered his ears this time, knowing what was coming.

Ruby grinned and stalked towards the frightened dog. She stopped just in front of him, raising her weapon over her head.

Zwei whimpered and Ruby froze.

He gave a long, heartfelt whine and Ruby lowered her scythe to the floor next to him and knelt, something stirring in her heart she hadn't felt in a long while now.

She looked closely at the dog who was looking back at her, his eyes were more reflective than she thought was normal and the fur under his eyes looked damp.

Ruby set her weapon down and gently reached for Zwei's face, stroking the little corgi cheeks, which were indeed damp with tears.

"Oh Zwei… You thought I was dead too…" Ruby noted. Zwei whimpered in confirmation and Ruby scratched his ears.

"And now I've taken everyone else from you…." Ruby said, not really regretting it but feeling bad for Zwei. She picked him up and hugged him tight as he whimpered.

"Can you ever forgive me, boy?" She asked.

Zwei licked her face in reply and wagged his little stump tail and Ruby smiled.

"You are such a good boy Zwei! Do you want to come home with me?" She asked and again he licked her face, making her giggle in an innocent manner.

She set Zwei down and grabbed her weapon, shifting back to scythe form she then moved over to the bed, retrieving Yang's head and one of the large blankets. She laid the blanket out and dropped Yang's head in the middle. She then dragged Blake and Weiss's bodies in as well then tied the bundle up and hoisted it over her shoulder.

"Let's go boy!" She singsonged at her beloved pet and headed back out the way she came in. On the way out she turned on the gas stove without lighting it.

Once outside and after waiting a few minutes she took Soul Rose and shot into the kitchen window, igniting the gas and setting the house aflame. Ruby watched with pleasure as the house caught and the embers from it carried on the wind to light up the one next door. She knew soon the whole block would be aflame and it would be difficult to stop.

Once back over the walls she dropped her bundle a moment, taking some of the blood from one of her previous teammates and writing on the city's outer wall

_Red Reaper, Red Reaper, come out and play_

Grinning, she retrieved her bag of bodies and returned to the boat still waiting on her. The faunus seemed surprised she'd let the dog live but said nothing, just took her back to the mainland.

\----------------------------------------

As they neared the city Ruby got out the scroll Roman had given her and she called Doctor Arvan, telling him where to send his only and rather old ambulance to meet her and pick up their new 'toys'.

Bodies loaded and sent off, Ruby returned home. It was nearer to dawn when she stumbled in, tired, Zwei dancing around her legs. She was covered in blood so she decided a nice warm bath was in order. She filled the tub, adding several good smelling things before slipping in. Roman hadn't been around so she guessed he was either sleeping or had gone to the base in the southeast.

She was pulled from her thoughts as Zwei hopped into the tub, landing in the middle of stomach and knocking the wind out of her.

Once she got her breath back she laughed and scrubbed her furry friend. Clean and dry, she and Zwei found Roman still sleeping and happily joined him. Roman woke her an hour later however.

"Where did this insufferable mutt come from!" He shouted as Zwei had him pinned and was slobbering all over his face.

Irritated, Ruby pulled Zwei away to give Roman a dangerous look.

"He is mine, my father had him but he's dead now so Zwei will be living with us. Understood?" She asked, her tone leaving no room for arguments.

Roman laughed and nodded. "Of course."

"Good." Ruby said, hugging Zwei and returning to sleep.

\---------------------------------------------------

Ozpin sat in his office watching the local news, he was waiting on a report from the morgue about Coco.

"More than half the town of Patch burned to the ground last night and the number of casualties is still unknown but looks like it may reach triple digits." Lisa reported, an over head picture behind her showing the damage to the town.

Ozpin cringed when he realized Taiyang's house had been on the devastated side of town.

"In further news it seems the fire may be another tragedy related to the Red Reaper." Lisa continued as the picture behind her changed to one of the outer wall of the city with Ruby's message written on it.

Ozpin rubbed his temples as he read it, wondering again what exactly this monster was.

\-------------------------------------------------

Ruby woke mid afternoon and stretched, she smiled at the happy Zwei next to her who was gnawing a ham bone. She absently rubbed his ears as she considered what she needed to do next. The Vytals Festival was in two weeks and she wanted Cinder dead long before then.

Today was a good day to end her rival and take over, she decided. She then rolled over and messaged Neo.

_Is everyone on my side yet?_

_Just need to convince Adam. I should have him within the hour._

_Good. Let me know._

Ruby grinned and decided to get up and clean her beloved weapon. Killing humans was by far messier than killing Grimm.

\----------------------------------------------------

Neo approached the tall leader of the faunus, his ever present mask in his hand and she grinned at the handsome man beneath.

Spotting her he returned it to his face, causing her to chuckle.

"Don't worry about hiding from me, I'm not interested in men." Neo stated, sitting on the desk against the wall.

"That's not the point." He said, his gravely voice filling the decrepit room.

"Still, I bet it helps keep you out from under the finger of the ever annoying Cinder." Neo stated boldly.

"Also besides the point." He grumbled.

"Why do you work with her? _For_ her really…." Neo asked, tilting her head curiously.

"Because she has plans that will bring what I have been trying to accomplish for years to fruition." He answered.

"Ah, so if there was someone else to help you, you would likely jump ship." Neo stated, studying her nails.

"Don't put words in my mouth." He warned her.

"Wouldn't dream of it, I'm only stating the obvious. Don't worry, I don't like her either so your secret is safe with me." She assured.

"I see…" He said, shifting his weight and watching her curiously.

"So if she is disposable why don't you consider working for our dear Red Reaper?" Neo asked.

"Heh, have you met the woman? She is insane." Adam pointed out.

"Insane or genius? It's a fine line. Besides, madness makes a beautiful front in our line of work, you know. I mean, would you want to cross her?" She asked.

"Most definitely not." He answered.

"And there you go, make sense?" She asked, smiling.

"Yeah, I suppose so." He nodded.

"So, with her far more likely to actually value your opinion rather than use you, don't you think it's time to change your list of associates?" Neo asked.

Adam leaned back on one of the other desks in the room and eyed neo carefully.

"Something is going down isn't it?" He asked.

"Indeed." Neo grinned, crossing her legs. "So, will you be on the winning team or not?"

\----------------------------------------------------------------

Just as Neo had promised, she messaged within the hour saying Adam was now with them. Which easily meant all the White Fang as well.

Ruby smiled, finished cleaning Soul Rose and left, Roman and Zwei in tow. They headed to the base in the southeast, quickly finding Cinder who was sitting on a crate of dust near the train. Mercury was not far away, sitting on the ground and absently drawing circles in the dirt, he looked lost and lonely.

Ruby marched right up to Cinder who grinned at her.

"Need something?" Cinder purred.

"Yes. Your head." Ruby purred back.

Cinder's eyes went wide and she quickly rolled to the side, deflecting the scythe with her shoe. Ruby laughed and leisurely followed the scrambling woman.

"How dare you! What is the meaning of this?" Cinder snapped as she got back to her feet and backed away.

"You've lost your usefulness to me." Ruby explained simply. "And Roman taught me to keep around only what is useful."

Ruby continued to advance slowly, loving the startled look in Cinder's eyes.

"What are you standing around for, help me!" Cinder snapped at a nearby group of White Fang. They made no move to advance and Ruby grinned.

"You see, I've already taken your throne from you." Ruby laughed.

Cinder snarled and pitched a fireball at Ruby, who simply sidestepped the missile.

"You're going to regret this!" Cinder howled.

"I regret nothing." Ruby replied and charged.

Cinder had to dodge around the scythe, she hadn't been expecting a fight and was wearing her red dress. Leaving her without a weapon. She tried to hit Ruby with more fire but couldn't stand still long enough as Ruby picked up speed.

"Mercury, stop her!" Cinder screeched.

"Like you stopped the one who killed Emerald? Got it." Mercury said dryly and made no move to help. Ruby laughed wickedly, landing a few glancing hits on Cinder and sending her sprawling.

"Damn you!" Cinder said, rolling to her feet and grabbing a jar from a crate. She created glass spikes from the contents and sent them at Ruby.

She deflected them with her scythe, giggling all the while. Cinder flung another fireball but hit hit nothing but rose petals as Ruby vanished.

Cinder put her back to the train car, searching for anywhere Ruby may have gone to. Ruby looked down at Cinder from on top the train car and grinned, swinging her scythe down, putting the blade against Cinder's chin. The woman looked up at her and snarled, knowing she was trapped.

"Good bye, Cinder." Ruby smiled as she reached for the trigger.

"Ruby wait! Don't do this, please!" Cinder cried, her expression changing.

"Why?" Ruby asked, tilting her head.

"I'm your mother! It's me, Summer. Ruby don't you recognize me?" Cinder pleaded.

Ruby laughed so hard she snorted. "Yeah, right!"

"It's the truth, Ruby!" Cinder pleaded again. Ruby's expression darkened and she leaned a little closer.

"Even if it is, I killed my father and sister last night, what makes you think being my mother would save you?" Ruby asked, her voice so dark she hardly sounded like herself.

Cinder seemed to pale at that and with no answer forthcoming Ruby fired her gun, decapitating Cinder.


	5. Red Queen

Ozpin, Glynda, Ironwood and Penny stood in Ozpin's office again.

"This has gotten out of hand! The Vytals festival is only days away and people are dying left and right! How can we ensure their safety?" Ironwood demanded as he paced the room.

"I was hoping you could help with that actually…" Ozpin admitted unhappily.

"You want me to handle security?" He asked, pausing in his pacing.

"Considering a number of my students are dead, yes, we need the help." Ozpin sighed.

"How many have you lost?" Ironwood asked.

"Two entire teams and several others have been injured." Ozpin sighed again.

"Three, if you count RWBY… The remaining members died in the Patch fire." Glynda added with a sad sigh.

"If it wasn't so close I would call it off, ask another kingdom to host but at this point…" Ozpin stated.

"That's true… I will do the best I can." Ironwood offered.

"Penny, you are the only one to have seen the Red Reaper and live, is there anything more you can tell us?" Ozpin asked as Glynda's scroll buzzed with a message.

"Well… You've seen what she can do, still, I swear it was her…" Penny said.

Glynda gasped, reading the message. All eyes turned to her and she glanced up.

"It's just…" Glynda started but then shook her head and showed the image a student had sent her. It was the server, a sign reading 'Wrecking crew, RR, RT, NT.' was displayed. She flicked through several other pictures showing the obliterated bases and buildings.

"What is that?" Ironwood asked.

"It's just a game… But the thing is, RR? You don't think?" Glynda asked.

"Only an admin can do that kind of damage, you should look through the logs and see what you can find." Ozpin said. "I don't think it could be but if that is related then that is another piece to this increasingly dangerous puzzle."

Glynda nodded and left the room while Ozpin and Ironwood continued discussing defense strategies and possibly hunting plans.

\------------------------------------------------

Ruby laughed madly as Cinder's body was hauled away, sent off to Arvan's hospital. Adam watched from the window of a dilapidated building that overlooked the tracks. He shook his head, unsure of how things would go now, with this new leader in place. His first and primary concern was the White Fang, as long as her plans coincided with his, he would work with her. The minute they didn't however…

Ruby danced giddily across the tracks to where Roman and the others waited. She was excited and had no fear of showing her power, the first thing she did however was pull Roman down to her level and kiss him.

\-----------------------------------------------

It was only hours later and Ozpin was still discussing battle plans with Ironwood when team JNPR arrived in his office. All except Nora who had a broken leg from the blow she suffered the morning Ruby had attacked Beacon.

"We want to help." Jaune insisted.

"Jaune, any team I've sent, anyone I've sent so far has ended up dead. I will not put you and your team, especially with one of you down, in harms way." Ozpin explained.

"There has to be some way we can help, this can't keep happening, everyone is dropping like flies!" Jaune protested.

"No." Ozpin stated firmly.

Jaune grumbled and lead his team back out of the room.

"What are we going to do?" Pyrrha asked on the ride back down.

"We are going to find that monster that made itself look like our friend and end it." Jaune stated.

"We are going to disregard the headmaster's orders?" Ren asked.

"We have to, you don't want that thing coming after Nora again, do you?"

"NO." Ren snapped, uncharacteristically loud. He'd been edgy ever sense Nora had gotten hurt, worried about her.

"Sorry… I didn't mean..." Jaune said, feeling bad for upsetting his teammate.

"I know what you meant…" Ren sighed.

They returned to their dorm, finding Nora in the same place they left her, on the bed reading. Her leg in a cast and elevated with pillows. They sat together and hatched a plan.

"Alight, I think this will work, now all we have to do is figure out where to find them." Jaune nodded once the plan was laid out.

"Actually, I might know someone who can help with that." Ren admitted.

"Really?" Nora asked, surprised he'd know anyone with that sort of connection.

"Yeah, you remember those twin girls from my home town?"

"Oh, yeah… You dated one of them for a while…."

"Well, they work as bodyguards in one of the shadier clubs here in Vale… I'm sure they know someone."

"You know where that is?" Jaune asked.

"Yeah, let's go, It will be open by the time we get there." Ren nodded, standing and turning to kiss Nora before they left.

\-----------------------------------------------

They got to the club a few hours later, it was dark out and they could hear music inside. As they approached the door though they heard screaming and people started running out in terror.

Rushing in they found the cause, down by the bar they saw Yang, she was beating the owner senseless as the twins rushed to his aid.

Jaune and his team remembered well that Yang had been reported dead in the Patch fire.

Without looking, Yang reached up and grabbed her hair, taking a fist full she yanked hard and in the same motion flung her head at the approaching girls. Both screamed, trying to deflect the horrifying missile. Yang's body went back to punching the motionless man.

The three Beacon students were stunned by the scene, needing time they didn't have to recover from it. Ren was the first to move, drawing his weapons and heading down the stairs as Yang dropped the dead man and stalked towards the terrified twins, retrieving her head along the way. They had fought Yang before and been beaten, now she seemed an indestructible monster.

Ren started firing at her as she put her head back on, she turned to look at him. Her eyes chilled him to the bone. One red and the other violet, both unfocused, empty, dead. He continued shooting so she changed her course, heading for him instead.

Pyrrha shifted her weapon to rifle form and started shooting from the top of the stairs, both she and Ren firing on the torso as her head did not seem to be in control.

Yang was only slowed by the force of the bullets, unfazed by the pain and damage they should have been inflicting. Ren had to start surrendering ground as she advanced, not stopping even though the hole in her chest was growing. Pyrrha shot Yang between the eyes, sending her head flying. Still she advanced, bringing her weapons to bear as she closed in on them.

Jaune finally snapped out of his own terrified stupor and drew his sword, charging the undead girl that had once been a friend. He screamed as he swung his sword in a complex series of movements, sending Yang's weapons out wide and then slashing through her body. By the time he was done Yang was covered in a spiderweb of cuts, her tendons and nerves severed, she fell back and rolled down the stairs to join her head on the floor, still staring blankly at the ceiling.

Ren put away his weapons as he headed over to the twins to make sure they were unharmed. He found them terrified but fine.

"OH, REN!" Miltia cried as she clung to him. "You came to save us!"

Ren pushed her back out to arms length. "No, I came to get information, you are just lucky I picked now to do it."

Miltia pouted but stepped back as Ren's team joined him.

"Well, considering you just saved our lives, what do you want to know?" Melanie asked.

"Where do we find the Red Reaper?" Ren asked.

"Oh… Well, acording to my boyfriend-" Melanie started.

"Who's in the White Fang." Miltia interjected.

"-they are using the abandoned underground city in the southeast."

"Terrible scroll reception out there." Miltia added again.

"Mountain Glenn…" Pyrrha noted.

"Can your boyfriend take us there?" Ren asked.

"I don't think he can risk it… You will have to find another way." Melanie shrugged.

Ren sighed then narrowed his eyes as both twins tensed, frightened. He and his team tuned to see Yang standing, putting her head back on, her wounds healed. She spotted them and started their way but paused when someone called out "Enough!"

She turned, heading back up the stairs. At the top, standing in the doorway and in turn in the shadows was the figured of a man. Yang walked up to him obediently and took his outstretched hand.

Pyrrha charged as they turned to leave, wanting answers. She raised her spear, ready to pin the man when he turned back to her and something stung her shoulder, suddenly the world was spinning and she found the floor rising up to meet her.

"PYRRHA!" Jaune cried, rushing over to his fallen partner and finding her unconscious, a tranquilizer dart in her shoulder. The mysterious man and undead Yang left during the ensuing chaos.

Other than being knocked out Pyrrha seemed okay so Jaune and Ren carried her back to Beacon while discussing how to get to Mountain Glenn. Pyrrha woke before they reached the dorms, groaning from the splitting headache.

"You alright?" Jaune asked worriedly.

"I.. will be… Did we catch them?"

"They got away.."

Pyrrha snarled at that, frustrated.

"We know where they are now though, we can head out tomorrow." Jaune offered.

"You think Yang is connected to the Red Reaper?" Ren asked.

"It would make sense… You saw the way she fought, we all saw how that Ruby thing fought…" Jaune pointed out.

"True." Ren and Pyrrha said together, thinking Jaune might be on to something.

They got back to their dorm to a worried Nora whose concern only deepened when she saw Pyrrha.

"What happened?"

"You don't really want to know but we found out what we needed." Ren said, sitting next to his partner once Pyrrha was settled.

\----------------------------------------------------------

"This one is troublesome." Arvan noted to Ruby as she walked in to pick up her new pets.

"Oh?" Ruby asked, looking over the one he pointed to, which was Yang.

"Yes, she slipped out on her own to terrorize a nightclub." Arvan explained, half amused and half annoyed.

Ruby laughed. "Did she kill anyone?"

"A few at least."

"Good." Ruby purred, walking over to stroke her sister's face.

"The others are ready as well." Arvan noted and Cinder stepped into view, staring blankly just like Weiss and Blake.

"Wonderful, wonderful… Soon." Ruby smiled darkly.

She took her new pets back to the base, pleased with how responsive they had turned out, though they would only take orders from her and Arvan. They unnerved the faunus but most of the White Fang simply avoided the unnatural things.

\--------------------------------------------------------------

The next day Pyrrha had recovered and after classes they waited for sundown to 'borrow' a bullhead. Nora had been frustrated that she couldn't go and was worried for her team, fearing she would never see them again. Ren promised he would be back for her.

They took the bullhead and flew out in the dark. Jaune didn't ask Pyrrha how she knew how to pilot one. They headed for Mountain Glenn with all speed. They landed the bullhead in an out of the way place and started searching for a way underground, fighting Grimm as they went, the things seemed to be everywhere. After hours of fighting they heard people talking and snuck that way.

Two members of the White Fang were walking patrol so Jaune and his two teammates followed them silently to see where they went. Once the two went in a door they waited a few minutes before following. Inside they found themselves standing at the top of a large building near the ceiling of the cave. They glanced around and not seeing the White Fange they snuck over to the edge and looked down. Below they could see a train and lots of activity as other White Fang moved about, getting things ready it seemed, but for what? Moving along the tracks Ren spotted a figure in a black cloak and pointed it out. "I think that's her."

Jaune nodded his agreement, there was a blond with very long hair following along as well as others. They all nodded and found a stairway down.

They also found White Fang.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

Ruby was distracted from her conversation with Roman when she heard gunfire. She glanced the way it had come from and listened for a moment before recognizing the weapons making all the racket. Grinning Ruby started that way, her undead team following her and Roman at her side.

They got to the source to find the three students had fought their way to the ground level. Yang tensed behind her, sensing the threat and apparently having not forgotten her last encounter.

"Well, well, well. If it's not team JNPR come to visit." Ruby smiled, opening her arms wide and speaking in a welcoming fashion. The White Fang gladly slipped behind her lines while the students were distracted.

"What are you? You don't act like the other dead ones." Jaune asked, sounding brave but she knew him well enough to see he was afraid.

"What am I, you ask? Why, I am the one and only Red Reaper, the one your nightmares fear. I am the darkness that dwells within all of you."

"Then what are they?" Pyrrha demanded, motioning at the dead women.

"My pets." Ruby smiled darkly.

"Why do you look like Ruby?" Jaune asked, shifting his sword nervously in his hand and eyeing Roman suspiciously.

"Because, I am Ruby. At least, I was. I learned my true nature, and embraced it!"

They all took a step back, realizing how dangerous she was. Ren shook his head, more than a little unnerved by her. She laughed and waved her entire horde forward.

Jaune and his team, his entire team might have been able to fight off Ruby's team fairly but this time they were short a member and Ruby's team had a powerful ally, it didn't help that none of them registered pain and it took great amounts of damage just to slow them down.

Ruby and Roman both giggled and danced to the sound of screams as student's were brutally slaughtered. Neo giggled madly equally enjoying the orchestra of pain.

Mercury was sure he was going to throw up, staying closer to Adam, the only slightly normal person around anymore. Adam too, seemed unnerved by the scene.

\----------------------------------------------------

Nora was beyond worried for her team, it had been three days and they had not returned. Ozpin had known what they had done and didn't even bother sending anyone to look, saying it was already too late and that they had done this to themselves. She had a horrible feeling and was sure he was right, something was just so wrong she felt it in her bones.

It surprised her when she heard her door creak open. She glanced up with her blurry, tear filled eyes to see Ren step into the room, Pyrrha and Jaune following him.

"You're alive!" She cried happily. "Oh, I was so worried!"

"Nora…" Ren smiled, his tone calm and even.

She didn't realize it held no emotion.

She wanted to hop up and run to them, hug Ren, she couldn't however, with her leg the way it was.

"Come here! Let me hug you, Ren!" Nora said, a new wave of tears falling.

Ren walked over and hugged her. She realized then something was wrong, he felt… off.

"Ren?" She asked nervously as Pyrrha closed the door.

"Yes?" He asked, pulling back just enough for her to see his face. his lips were turned up in a creepy grin and she realized his eyes were unfocused, empty, dead.

Just the way they had described Yang's as being.

"NO!" Nora screeched, trying to scramble away.

"I came back! Just like I promised, here for you!" Ren told her, his voice oddly toneless and dry.

Nora scrambled, screaming, trying to get away but Ren followed her, staying right on top of her. Her cries went unheard as the dorms across the hall and next door were empty. Nora fell from the bed, unable to stand and run, watching as Ren followed her. She was helpless, only able to hold her arms up in a feeble defense as he clawed at her with his nails, biting her, punching at her. She was trapped and unable to even manage fighting back, unable to bear the thought of hurting her friend.

His strength was unnatural and he wrenched her arms aside, digging his nails into her skin, burrowing his fingers in and ripping her chest open. She cried as she struggled. The person she loved more than anyone alive would be the one to end her life. He continued until she stopped screaming, stopped struggling.

Nora was coughing blood and the world was hazy when the attacks stopped. She felt Ren grab her by her hair and start dragging her.

No one had heard her, no one had come to help her. Her own team had been the ones to do this to her. Her breaths were ragged as they drug her outside, she tried to scream as they had gone down the stairs but this late at night no one would be awake to hear them dragging her and her raspy sobs. She was doomed.

They drug her out to the cliffs overlooking the city, she could see the stairs behind Beacon tower. It was pretty, she thought to herself. Everything went black for her then, her spirit crushed and her will faded, she gave up fighting to live. Her last breath caressed the air as the Bullhead Roman was piloting lowered enough to pick the four of them up.

Nora's body was dropped off with Arvan.

Ruby would now have all of Beacon's best first year students as her pets.


	6. Red Reaper

Ozpin covered his mouth and clutched his cane, glad he'd left his coffee behind. They stood in team JNPR's room, looking at the aftermath of what had happened to the now missing and likely dead Nora. The room was splattered in blood, bits of skin and flesh laying in the floor. There were drag marks of blood leading out of the room and down the hall, down the stairs, outside to the cliffs. There were already people searching the lake for her body.

"The Vytals are tomorrow…" Glynda said uneasily.

Ozpin rubbed his face, wishing he could cancel them.

"I have a very bad feeling about tomorrow…" Ozpin said so quietly Glynda almost didn't hear him.

\-----------------------------------------

Ruby grinned as the abandoned city fell behind them in the dark, all the Dust Zombies were loaded on to the train with a few trusted faunus. She, Roman, Neo, Zwei, Mercury and Adam headed into the city, the train would start soon, hiding in the underground. The train had been moved into the tunnels with the way back sealed. Now everyone else had left Mountain Glenn, leaving an empty dead city behind. Ruby's grin widened after everyone had gotten into position and she saw General Ironwood's fleet headed southeast, for the abandoned base.

Cinder was the only one of Ruby's pets to have not been put on the train, she waited obediently at Ruby's side. The clock tower rang out, signalling time for the Vytals to start. Ruby was excited as this was the set time for the train to start moving.

The train would be flying down the underground track, cars detaching and exploding, making openings for Grimm to get into the tunnels, leading them into the city. Ruby practically jumped with excitement when she heard the last explosion, the train smashing through the sealed tunnel and into the city.

The White Fang and Dust zombies laid low for the moment, letting the Grimm do their work. Sirens filled the air along with terrified screaming. Ruby giggled and watched the Grimm rip apart those unfortunate enough to be fall behind other fleeing citizens. A bullhead took to the air from Beacon.

"Now, destroy it." Ruby purred into Cinder's ear.

Cinder lifted her hand in the air and snapped her finger, triggering all the dust she had weaved into the very walls of the school. Beacon exploded, a huge, fireball of devastation. The shockwave was felt even at their distance and Ruby giggled as she watched the single bullhead knocked from the air.

Now the White Fang and her dust pets joined in the fray, Arvan's own dust zombies would also be marching from the hospital's basement.

\-------------------------------------------

The bullhead spiraled towards the ground, a multitude of alarms going off. Ozpin had left Professors Port and Peach in charge of the competition and taken Glynda and Oobleck with him to stop the Grimm.

Sirens rang in his ears as he came to after the crash, Glynda stood nearby fending off Grimm while he and Oobleck came back to their senses.

Ozpin looked to the crater on the cliff that had once been his school and his heart sank. He wasn't even sure how it could have happened. He knew no one could have survived that…

He and Oobleck joined Glynda in the fight, though Ozpin felt it was pointless.

\----------------------------------------

Ruby laughed madly, charging through the crowds of frightened people and hacking away at them, scattering them for the Grimm to chase down. She lost track of everyone else and didn't care, loving the chaos she had created. She reveled in it, killing any who got close to her.

\------------------------------------

Oobleck found himself separated quickly in the chaos, his only thought to get people somewhere safe but he realized there was nowhere safe now that Beacon was gone. He fought his way through a horde of Grimm to find a dog before him, a black and gray corgi.

A battle corgi. For a moment he hoped he had found an ally but as it charged he quickly realized otherwise. He hated to harm the hound, actually quite fond of dogs. He had no choice however as a wound from that beast could cause him problems in later fights.

Oobleck struck the charging dog, sending it bouncing away but it recovered and rushed him again. The professor found himself hoping the dog would lose interest as the fight drew on, hating himself more for each strike he had to lay on the pup.

He hated every yelp and whimper he caused. Still the dog did not back down, though it was clearly hurt badly. The dog charged in again, and this time Oobleck missed, the dog getting past his weapon to bite his leg. Oobleck snarled in pain and struck the dog hard, forcing it to let go the followed with several more, quick shots and this time the dog didn't get up again.

"I'm sorry…" Oobleck huffed at the animal, honestly hating having to kill it.

He knelt down beside the dog to read it's tag, which read. "Zwei." On one side and "Xiao Long." On the other. Oobleck sighed heavily, not sure how Ruby's family pet had ended up in this mess.

He froze when he heard someone behind him and looked up to see Yang. He stumbled away, getting his weapon up to bear. "How is this even possible?"

Yang reached up and grabbed a fist full of her own hair, yanking hard she pitched her head at Oobleck, catching him in the face and knocking him back. He rolled to his feet, blocking her punches and directing their angles away from him, allowing a time gap for him to strike back. She only came back stronger each time he hit her though, and her speed started to win out against his. Her strikes hitting hard, sending him flying and just as he got on his feet she was there again, and again and again.

Soon Yang stood over Oobleck waiting for him to stand but he did not.

\-------------------------------------

Ruby charged through the war torn city, loving all the sounds and smells, slicing through people as she passed them. She came to the inner docks to find Roman fighting against Glynda and Ozpin.

"Finally! A challenge!" She roared before rushing at Ozpin.

Her scythe was raised high as she closed in on him, Glynda too busy with Roman to even see her coming. Ozpin raised his weapon to block but at the last moment Ruby changed the angle of her scythe. To both their surprise, it didn't touch Ozpin, Penny's hand held the blade away from the headmaster.

"Oh, they put you back together again." Ruby remarked snarkily.

"You are not the real Ruby!" Penny snapped.

"Oh, you have no idea who I am!" Ruby roared, wrenching her scythe free and spinning away.

Roman cried out in pain and his limp form flew through the air to crash into Ruby. She stumbled to her feet to find him motionless. Snarling Ruby screamed charging in, her scythe swinging for Glynda's head but a wave of Glynda's riding crop had a wall of rubble in the way, catching the scythe, it's poor blade screeching. Ruby noticed Yang and Nora running over to her and she pointed at a car, both of them understanding. Ruby moved around the rubble to keep Glynda busy, though it was hard to keep all three of her enemies off of her at once.

Glynda was no longer a problem a few moments later though, Ozpin's cry of her name was not enough warning as a car flew through the air to land on her upside down. Had she seen it coming she could have defended herself but Ruby had kept her distracted.

"One down, two to go!" Ruby said cheerfully.

"No!" Ozpin snarled, drawing the blade from his cane and charging in on the scythe wielding maniac.

Ruby laughed and dodged, but she quickly realized he'd gotten inside her range and the street was too crowded with rubble to be able to use her semblance to get away. Ozpin drew back and swung hard, stabbing the blade through her torso, it was a deadly wound if not treated quickly.

Ruby shifted her scythe and fired, the recoil sent her flying away from Ozpin and his traitorous hidden sword. She grinned as the bullet she had fired struck Penny and sent her rolling away. Ruby staggered to her feet, glancing back to call on her pets but realized they were tangled in a new fight. She charged in at Ozpin again, blade swinging hard for his head, he ducked under the strike and landed a shallow but long cut down her back.

Ruby howled in anger and charged but once again Penny was in her way, not caring she fired Soul Rose. The weapon protested as it cut into Penny's metal body. Penny reached up and grabbed the blade, the same blade that was still cracked from the first time Ruby had attacked her, this time though, Penny was the wiser and she twisted the blade against it's own momentum and angle.

Ruby's eyes widened in shock as the blade of her beloved weapon shattered before her eyes. Penny then punched Ruby, sending her flying back. Ruby rolled to her feet, turning the barrel of her gun on Penny and firing again. Penny sidestepped at the last second and charged, Ruby continued firing, in a panic now as she realized she was losing.

Penny's own swords came into play and pinned Ruby down.

"You really going through with this, huh?" Ruby asked, her tone and expression returning to something recognizably Ruby.

Penny hesitated.

"I thought we were friends." Ruby sighed.

"Ruby and I were friends. Ruby is dead." Penny stated.

"I never died Penny, that was a lie."

"Why would you do these terrible things than? Why?"

"Because it's who I really am."

"Ruby would never have done what you have done!"

"Are you sure? How well did you really know me? How well did I really know me? Not well apparently…"

"I think I understand." Ozpin said as he approached. "But so drastic a change, all of this was revenge?"

Ruby laughed, laughed hard. "Hardly! I did all this because it was fun! Don't you see? My sister and team threw me away, they didn't want me around and that led me to learn my own true nature!"

"I'm sorry that this is the path they forced you down." Ozpin said sadly, putting the blade of his weapon through her heart.

Ruby giggled, giggled as blood bubbled through her lips. Giggled her last breath.

\----------------------------------------

Roman managed to regain his senses just in time to see Ozpin put a sword through Ruby's heart, killing her. Snarling Roman raised his weapon, aiming with the last of his strength and firing. Striking Ozpin down. Roman grinned.

"We win." He laughed darkly before all went permanently black for him.

Penny caught Ozpin as he fell, holding him while he died. His death near instant.

Ironwood's fleet returned to Vale to find the city in chaos, Beacon gone and Ozpin dead. He quickly sent his men in to start clearing out Grimm and the undead.

Adam called his forces out, deciding the endeavor was not worth the trouble at this point. Neo and Mercury joined him.

On that day, the wrath of the Red Reaper ended. She took down hundreds of people with her, including many, many of Remnant's future defenders.

Vale fell soon after that, the few remaining alive fled to other kingdoms, claiming the land cursed by the ghosts of the Red Reaper and her lover.

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**And thus be the end of the path of evil**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, as it is. After all these years, reading back through again I can kinda see where I could make serious improvements but at the same time it's absolute hell for me to rewrite something I've finished. I may take a crack at it to challenge myself but don't hold your breath. I have a hard time keeping everything together right now as life is not... smooth. If the itch persists I may try but I'm not sure how I'll post it.  
> I may just end up doing an entirely separate Ruby!Snapped AU or something, I dunno.  
> Just kinda bugs me that I neglected the evil path so badly, though at the time I really struggled to write evil. I've... come a long way after a lot of real world lessons in how horrible people can be sometimes...  
> Anyway, lots of fics to come, lots of videos planned but also a metric TON of real life things I have to deal with and that leaves me with less time than I would prefer for everything.
> 
> For updates and the like, please follow me on Twitter! The link is on my profile page!  
> And if you wanna help a struggling author out, my Patreon is there too.


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